INTERVIEW WITH DAN DIVELBISS

Resilience

DURING THE WORST YEAR EVER

Interview with Dan Divelbiss

The global pandemic and year of domestic unrest has required many farmers and food professionals to innovate in an uncertain environment of shifting needs. CORV reached out to Dan Divelbiss, founding member of Waterfields, to hear how he’s adapted. Dan Divelbiss founded Waterfields in 2013 with his business partners to grow specialty produce for chefs in Cincinnati.

CORV: How were you initially impacted when the pandemic hit?

DD: When restaurants closed dine-in services last March, Waterfields had to give away nearly $100,000 in produce due to cancelled orders and then suspend operations. Uncertainty was high and our team was meeting constantly to decide when to relaunch. It was tough but when we decided to relaunch in summer, we were all ready to go. Throughout this time, the managers and staff at Waterfields have been exceptional.

CORV: What did you do during the lull in operations?

DD: There was still plenty of work to do. In addition to making plans for the relaunch, I redesigned our greenhouse automation to include web-based controls to enable remote and automatic controls based on weather conditions. Our greenhouse manager has since been able to use this system to improve product quality and yields. Additional expansion plans created during the “lull” have begun, and I’m excited about our new capabilities and products. Also, there was time for lots of conversations. In talking to a customer about a meal train we were setting up for a mutual friend, she commented that people in food service always have extra food. Remembering this, and feeling my own financial fragility at the onset of the shutdown, I started a soup club for my neighbors as a side endeavor. It was fun to create and connect with neighbors in this way. It also gave me an excuse to work with one of my friends, Marykate at Mustard Seed Farm CSA, to get a breadth of local veggies in our soups.

CORV: It sounded like the shutdown created space to experiment and innovate.

DD: Yes, some independent design opportunities came up as well. The Southern Ohio Chestnut Company (SOCC) contracted me to consult on and build the control head for the irrigation system at their new 25-acre orchard in Athens county. Working with a commercial perennial farm was a fascinating shift in perspective from the high-turn annual agriculture I had been doing. This in turn led to a design/build engagement with Rust Belt Riders in Cleveland for a compost watering system. And right now I’m preparing for another project with SOCC. This one includes surface water treatment, web-based controls and solar power. Very cool stuff.

CORV: Are there any words of resilience you would like to offer to our readers?

DD: The words from a mutual aid group meeting have stuck with me, “the safest place to store your food is in your neighbor’s mouth.” Share what you can, plant an extra row in your garden and be open to shifts and new challenges in the coming year.

If you would like to connect with Dan, find him on LinkedIn.

Farmers’ Markets

photo courtesy of Hyde Park Farmers Market

SYMBOLS TO WATCH FOR: C Our Donors ❄ Winter Market

FARMERS’ MARKETS come in many flavors for many needs, from shop and go, to community hubs. Take your bags, your change, and your curiosity. If you have time, take a friend and look around. Shop early to avoid the crowd or late to possibly get a deal. We encourage markets to have vendors label where their produce is from (especially if not from their own operation) and how it’s grown. This is about building relationships with each other and our food and land. (Check Growing Practices p. 14)

MONTHLY

C Fibonacci’s Mt. Healthy

Accepts SNAP/Produce Perks/Credit Cards 11am - 2pm; May 2 - Nov 7 1st Sun. of month 1451 Compton Road, Cincinnati, OH 45231 FibBrew.com

Westside

10am - 3pm; May - Aug. 1st Saturday of the month 3719 Harrison Ave., Cheviot, OH 45211 Winter: Nov. 27 Harvest Home Park, 3961 North Bend Road WestSideMarketCincy.com

MULTIPLE DAYS

C Boone County

Accepts Credit Cards/WIC 10am - 5pm; May - Oct. daily 9am - 6pm; Memorial Day and Labor Day 1961 Burlington Pike Adjacent to Boone County Extension Burlington, KY 41005 BooneCountyFarmersMarket.org Farmer Produce Market of Cincinnati at Lunken Airport

11am - 6pm; Mon. - Fri. 9am - 5pm; Sat. - Sun. Late April to late fall Wilmer Ave. off of State Rt. 52 Cincinnati, OH 45226 ❄ Healthy Harvest Mobile Market

Accepts VISA/MC/EBT/FMNP/Produce Perks Mon. - Fri. Year Round Check website for regular locations and times in Cincinnati ❄ Liberty Farm Market (and event space)

Accepts Credit Cards/EBT/WIC 10am - 6pm; Wed., Thurs., Sun. Beginning April 1; 10am-8pm; Fri-Sat. 5850 Princeton Rd. Liberty Township, OH 45011 LibertyFarmMarket.com

MONDAY

C Nativity Church Tailgate Market

3:30pm - 7pm; June - Oct. Accepts VISA/MC/WIC 5935 Pandora (Pleasant Ridge) at Woodford and Ridge Cincinnati, OH 45213

TUESDAY

Highland Heights

3pm - 6pm; June 15 - Oct. 26 Senior Citizen Activity Center, 3504 Alexandria Pk. Highland Heights, KY 41076 Find us on Facebook C Loveland

Accepts EBT/Produce Perks/Credit Cards 3pm - 6:30pm; May 4 - Oct. 26 205 Broadway St., Loveland, OH 45140 LovelandFM.com C Mt. Carmel-Ohio Valley Fruit & Vegetable Grower’s Association

Accept WIC, VISA/MC/Senior FM coupons 2pm - 5:30pm; July - Sept. St. Veronica Church 4473 Mt. Carmel Tobasco Rd. Mt. Carmel, OH 45244 MilfordFarmersMarket.com C Oxford-Uptown (see Sat. listing) Accepts EBT/WIC 4pm - 7pm; May - Nov. corner of Locust & Wells Mills Drive. Oxford, OH 45056 OxfordFarmersMarket.com Find us on Facebook Sayler Park

4pm - 7pm; June - Aug. Nelson Sayler Memorial Park 6600 Gracely Dr Cincinnati, OH 45233 Find us on Facebook

WEDNESDAY

Batavia (see Sat. listing) Accepts WIC 3:30pm - 6pm; July - Oct. Main St. at Depot Ave., Batavia, OH 45103 Find us on Facebook C Blue Ash

3:30pm - 7:00pm; May 13 - Sept. 30 Summit Park 4335 Glendale Milford Rd. Blue Ash, OH 45242 BlueAsh.com ❄ Fairfield

4pm - 7pm; Apr. 28 - Sept. 29 Winter: 4pm - 7pm Oct. - Apr. (1st and 3rd Wed.) Fairfield Community Arts Ctr. Fairfield, OH 45014 Fairfield-City.org/market Find us on Facebook

C❄ Ft. Thomas

Accepts Credit Cards 3pm - 7pm; Jun. - Sept. 1080 Highland Ave. Ft. Thomas, KY 41075 Winter: 3pm - 6pm; Oct. 6 - Dec. 15 Spring: 3pm - 6pm; Mar. 31 - May 801 Cochran Avenue Find us on Facebook C Milford-Ohio Valley Fruit and Vegetable Grower’s

Association (see Sat. listing) Accepts WIC, VISA/MC/Senior FM Coupons 2pm - 6pm; July - Oct. Corner of Route 131 & Route 50 Garden Center lot Milford Shopping Center Milford, OH 45150 MilfordFarmersMarket.com C❄ Northside

Accepts Credit Card, EBT/WIC, Produce Perks, Senior FM Coupons 4pm - 7pm; May - Oct. 4pm - 6pm; Oct. - May Behind North Presbyterian Church 4222 Hamilton Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45223 NorthsideFM.org Find us on Facebook

THURSDAY

Centerville

3pm - 7m; May 13 - Oct. 14 892 S. Main St,. Centerville, OH 45458 CentervilleFarmersMarket.com Find us on Facebook

Accepts WIC 2pm - 6pm; Apr. 29 - Oct. 28 Lot of Erlanger Baptist Church 116 Commonwealth Ave., Erlanger, KY 41018 C Lebanon

3pm - 7pm; Mid May - Mid Oct. Corner of Sycamore and Main Streets parking lot Lebanon, OH 45036 LebanonOhioFarmersMarket.com Find us on Facebook C❄ Madeira

4pm - 7pm; May - Oct. 4pm - 6:30pm; Oct. Winter: 4pm - 6pm; Nov. - Dec. Pre-order; Jan. - April Madeira Presbyterian Church 8000 Miami Ave., Madeira, OH 45243 MadeiraFarmersMarket.com Find us on Facebook

FRIDAY

Alexandria-Campbell County

3pm - 6pm; June 18 - Oct. 29 Southern Lanes 7634 Alexandria Pike Alexandria, KY 41001 CCFarmersMarket.net

Brookville

Accepts EBT/WIC/Snap 3:30 - 7pm; June - Sept. South end of Main Street downtown Brookville, IN 47012 FoodandGrowers.org/our_programs C❄ Lettuce Eat Well on Cincinnati’s Westside

Accepts EBT/Produce Perks Pre-order (only) pick up 4pm - 6pm; April - Nov. 4pm - 6pm; Nov. - April (1st and 3rd Fri.) Back of Cheviot Elementary School 4040 Harrison Ave. on Roswell Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45211 C Northminster United Presbyterian Church - Tailgate Market

Accepts VISA/MC/WIC 3:30pm - 6:30pm; June - Oct. 703 Compton Road (Finneytown) Cincinnati, OH 45231 C Reading

Accepts EBT/Produce Perks/Credit Cards 4:00 - 7pm; May 21- Sept.24 Corner of Reading and Vine, Reading, OH 45215 Find us on Facebook

SATURDAY

C Anderson Township

9am - 12pm; May 15 - Oct. 9 St. Timothy Episcopal Church 8101 Beechmont Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45255 AndersonFarmersMarket.org Find us on Facebook Batavia (see Wed. listing) Accepts WIC 9am - 1pm; July - Oct. Main St. at Depot Ave., Batavia, OH 45103 Find us on Facebook

Batesville

7:30am - 11am; May 1 - Oct. 31 Boehringer and Main Streets Batesville, IN 47006 Find us on Facebook C Clinton County

Accepts EBT, VISA/MC/WIC, Senior FM Coupons 8:30am -12pm; June - Sept. Mulberry St. between Main and Locust 69 N. South Street, Wilmington, OH 45177 ClintonCountyFarmersMarket.com Find us on Facebook C❄ Covington

Accepts EBT, VISA/MC/WIC 9am - 1pm; May - Dec. 3rd and Court Street, Covington, KY 41011 Winter: 9am-1pm; thru April 24 Butlers Pantry Patio 50 East Rivercenter Blvd. Covington KY 41011 Find us on Facebook

The Produce Perks program is Ohio’s nutrition incentive program, now serving all Ohioans receiving SNAP. The Produce Perks program provides a dollar for dollar match for SNAP customers when they utilize their SNAP/EBT benefits at participating locations. The program increases affordable access to healthy foods at over 100 farmers’ markets, farm stands, mobile markets, CSA’s and select grocery retailers statewide. Matching dollars are redeemable for fruits, vegetables, and edible plants. The program empowers consumers, supports local farmers, and sustains regional economies. Visit ProducePerks.org to find a site near you.

Crestview Hills

9am - 1pm; May 8 - Aug. 28 Crestview Hills Town Center (Abuelo’s parking lot) Crestview Hills, KY 41017 Find us on Facebook C❄ Deerfield Twp.

9am - 12pm; May 1 - Oct. 30 Kingswood Park 4188 Irwin Simpson Rd Mason, OH 45040 Winter: 10am - 11am; Nov. - Apr. 3rd Saturday Market Pavillion DeerfieldFarmersMarket.com Find us on Facebook Delhi

9am - 12pm; May 29 - Aug. 28 Delhi Park 5125 Foley Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45238 Find us on Facebook

Diocesan Catholic Children’s Home (DCCH)

10am - 2pm; May 8 - Oct. 30 75 Orphanage Rd., Ft. Mitchell, KY 41017 C❄ Findlay Market

(see Sun. listing) Accepts EBT/WIC/Produce Perks 8am - 2pm; Year Round 1801 Race St., Cincinnati, OH 45202 Findlaymarket.org/assistancebenefits Find us on Facebook C Hamilton Historic

Accepts Snap 8am - 12pm; May 22 - Oct. 9 101 High St., Hamilton, OH 45013 Find us on Facebook Independence

8:30am - 1pm; May 1 - Oct. 30 (Next to Courthouse) 5272 Madison Pike, Independence, KY 41051 Find us on Facebook C Milford-Ohio Valley Fruit and Vegetable Grower’s Association

(See Weds. listing ) Accepts WIC, VISA/MC/Senior FM Coupons 10am - 2pm; June - Oct. Corner of Route 131 & Route 50 Garden Center lot Milford Shopping Center Milford, OH 45150 MilfordFarmersMarket.com C❄ Montgomery

Accepts EBT/Produce Perks/Credit Cards 9am - 12:30pm; May - Oct. 9609 Montgomery Road (Montgomery Elem. parking lot) Montgomery, OH 45242 Winter: 9:30am - 11:30am; Nov. - Dec. Montgomery Presbyterian Church 9494 ZigZag Road MontgomeryFarmersMarket.org Find us on Facebook C Mariemont Accepts EBT/Credit cards

10am - 1:00pm; May 16 - Sept. 26 Mariemont Elementary School parking lot 6750 Wooster Pike., Mariemont, OH 45227 Find us on Facebook Newport-Campbell County

9am - 12pm; May23 - Oct. 31 (next to Pepper Pod Restaurant) 709 Monmouth St., Newport, KY 41071 Find us on Facebook C❄ Oxford-Uptown

(see Tues. listing) Accepts EBT/WIC 9am - 12pm; Year Round corner of High and Main Streets Oxford, OH 45056 OxfordFarmersMarket.com Find us on Facebook

If 10% of the population in our region shifted 10% of their purchases to local food, this would translate to an average of $15/week per household and $66 million dollars total in the local food economy.

- Michaela Oldfield, Greater Cincinnati Regional Food Policy Council, Green Umbrella ❄ West Chester

9am - 1pm; May 22 - Sept. 25 The Square at Union Centre 9100 West Chester Towne Centre Dr. West Chester, OH 45069 Winter: 2pm - 4pm; Nov. - March. 1st and 3rd Sat. Mulhauser Barn 8558 Beckett Road, West Chester, OH 45069 WestChesterOhioFarmersMarket.org Find us on Facebook

SUNDAY

C❄ Findlay Market

(see Sat. listing) Accepts EBT/WIC/Produce Perks 10am - 2pm; Year Round 1801 Race St. Cincinnati, OH 45202 FindlayMarket.org Find us on Facebook C Hyde Park

Accepts Credit Cards 9:30am - 1:00pm; May 16 - Oct. 31 and Harvest Celebration 6:30pm - 8:30pm; Nov. 24 Hyde Park Square on Erie Ave. Cincinnati, OH. 45208 HydeParkFarmersMarket.com Find us on Facebook ❄ Winter Market of Hyde Park

Nov. - May; 10:00am - 1:30pm MadTree Brewing, 3301 Madison Rd. Cincinnati, OH. 45209 Find us on Facebook

A tisket, a tasket - take your reusable basket … or bags

It is estimated that across the United States, over 100 billion plastic bags are used per year, with the average consumer using 300-500 bags. For the most part, these bags are short-lived or single-use, but can have a lifetime of hundreds of years when they end up in waterways and landfills. Plus much of the plastic does not really decompose, but rather continues to pollute by breaking down into microplastics. So be part of the solution - take your reusable basket or bags to market. Check out Hamilton County Recycling and Solid Waste District for resources. hamiltoncountyrecycles.org